The fields were surprisingly peaceful after the quakes subsided. One figure laid unconscious in the middle of a tall field of grass near the road. Vehicles passed through completely unaware on the road nearby. Some were large private government vehicles. Their local police escort shone their sirens over the grass as they drove past. Blue and red lights waking the figure in the soil below. Ray started feeling himself drift back to consciousness. All the while, the vehicles were long gone.

While fatigued, Ray still felt the sensations of the grass hugging his cheek. It felt good. Almost like he was tasting it underneath him. Until all he found was dry, dead remains when he opened his eyes. He felt better compared to his time trapped in the cave, but this was a weird feeling. Almost like him being against the grass killed the strands of plantlife. This left him uncertain and even slightly horrified of what happened to him while he was down there.

"What… is happening to me?" Jensen stammered back. However as he struggled in getting to a standing position, he tripped on a rock into the field once again. The surrounding grass around him started dying in an instant. Crops had lost their energy and life. The strangest part was that he was not just feeling better, he was practically euphoric. The energy surging through him felt like some kind of high. One he didn't know what to do with. Though what came with this energy was a pain that dug into his mind.

"Hunger!" A voice answered back. It pounded into Jensen's skull with each syllable. He cowered to the ground once more. Waiting until this pain would subside. All while even patches of the dirt became as dry as the most desolate desert.

Below him, this almost brittle and dry soil started shaking underneath Ray. Shifting further from the epicenter of this crack forming in the ground. A blast of gas and debris launched from where this crack began. This blinded Ray temporarily, but as he cleared his vision and squinted, Jensen saw two figures emerge from the shrouded opening. Almost as hunched over as he was, the weakened figures were revealed to be Clark and Victoria as the dust settled and they showed themselves. Both of them escaped the cave-in. Though Clark was supporting Victoria in their movements out even with both of them having faced a lot of stress from the cave-in below.

After the absorption of the grass below him, Jensen felt rejuvenated. Just enough that he was able to then assist his allies and even stood up greater than they could at that moment. He was full of energy and therefore was able to keep his strange hunger in line, but he had the feeling that it seeked something greater and stronger than simple plant life. Still, in holding back what was within him, he continued going with his friends.

"How did you get out of there? That monster down in the caves. I saw him, and he was big! Huge even. That skull and all the wires..." Jensen trailed on as he continued walking the muddy path ahead with Clark and Victoria. Though he still was completely unable to process what did happen. In their support of each other, they braced themselves for the long trip ahead.

"I was lucky. So was J'o-" Clark tried to excuse the gaps, but caught himself before he could've revealed more. Realization hit him that this was not his own secret, but rather J'onn's. "Ms. Klingman was lucky too. She helped guide us out of there." Clark covered. J'onn recognized his efforts. Looking thankful for Clark's assistance through Victoria Klingman's visage.

Jensen was grateful for the work they both did. Never having questioned the circumstances of his own survival. Clark, Klingman, and Jensen eventually got onto the main road to get back to the Kent Farm as best they could. When the vehicles were eventually clear, it made the journey much smoother. The earthquake was mostly affecting the ground off the main road which was lucky for those leaving the area. Jensen was feeling the weight of his helpers on him as he made his way through these paths. Wishing to take a short break before continuing on once more.

"After this, I have to stay in Smallville for a bit longer. I know I told the school that my class wasn't something that would last forever, but I only know so much about who kidnapped me. I need to know more, and what it has to do with Lionel Luthor." Ray declared to Clark. While what he stood by was true, Jensen mainly decided this in order to find out what changed in Smallville since being taken into the tunnels. What changed about him as well was especially unnerving.

"I'll still help you with whatever you need. I'm sticking by this too, Mr. Jensen." Clark supported his cause. While this was mainly a side program at school he joined on with, he was still passionate about it and his work with Ray. It connected to something nefarious happening in Smallville that Clark Kent felt he had personal responsibility for. Especially with Brainiac, who seemed to know both Clark and J'onn.

"First, I'll just need to rest. I'm probably in much better shape to make it home. Don't let me slow you guys down getting back to yours." Ray offered. Not wanting to be too much hassle, but also not wanting to have his friends get too close. He shrouded a warning as a friendly gesture, but then noticed Victoria Klingman's own struggles in staying upright as they made it across the road to the now smoother field closer to the Kent farm.

"Besides, I think you need the rest more than I do, Ms. Klingman. I'm eternally grateful for all you and Clark have done to help get me out of that rubble, but after all you have given, you should look after yourself." Ray suggested to Victoria. While Jensen wasn't fully aware of the true strength behind her, Clark nevertheless acted in support of Ray's advice. Even as an alien, J'onn's limits were pushed by Brainiac. Somehow to the point of near death despite the great power J'onn already seemed to have.

"Mr. Jensen is right. Maybe you should get back-" Clark tried to give an appealing argument for resting away for a bit, but J'onn wouldn't listen to the Kent boy. Still staying as stubborn as ever even in his current beaten condition.

"No. I'm bringing you back home before I ever think about getting some rest. Your safety is the top priority here, Clark. That is final." J'onn affirmed. Though stubborn, he now was beginning to feel a little pain tightening up where his wounds previously were healing.

"I'll get home fine, Ms. Klingman. You don't have to worry about me." Clark assured. J'onn still doubted him based on his revelation with his folks, but he was powerless in this situation and mainly had to just watch out for him to make it the right way.

"You won't need to concern yourself, Ray. Just get back into town where you'll be safe. I'll see you when we are all back at school hopefully." J'onn had redirected back to Jensen. Hoping to return Clark home, and get back to Victoria's house where he had previously set up shop. His top priority was everyone else, even through J'onn's own physical turmoil.

"Remember, Clark. When you are back in class, we have a lot to work through." Ray reminded Clark Kent of their previous investigation. Clark was glad to get back to some form of normality. What could approximate it anyway.

"Will see you there." Clark called out to him. Jensen waved to his two rescuers as he exited back to town. He vanished into the distance as he walked the long journey ahead. J'onn meanwhile had the energy to hold himself up as Victoria Klingman. Close by to Clark just in case the support was needed from him.

"Are you going to hold to that?" J'onn questioned. Truly wondering if Clark changed his mind on his new quest from here on out.

"What do you mean?" Clark responded back. Not getting what J'onn truly meant. All while Jensen was making his way farther down the road. Completely out of earshot of his friends.

"You left in those tunnels, and it wasn't to find your friend. So it makes me wonder, are you going to see your parents again? Because you can't make a promise to someone and then break it for another path." J'onn had advised Clark. While originally being someone Clark feared and someone that he still didn't entirely trust, J'onn was admittedly wise. Though what he told Clark wasn't entirely something he was ready for, it was something he had to think about getting past.

"I needed to leave. To find some way to make sense of all of this. Who I am, and I'm not going to do it near those who just found me in a field. I need to find my family." Clark answered J'onn. Though the fellow alien knew what it was like to be a stranger on a distant world, J'onn had a lesson that Clark had yet to learn. A lack of hope.

"Take it from one who no longer has a world to possibly go back to, Clark. I now have had to make peace with this planet as my own, and you have done far more than even that. You made friends. You have a family to connect you to a world that became yours from the beginning. By blood or not, you are one of Earth now, Clark Kent." J'onn declared. He fully disputed Clark's claim that he was completely alone on this planet. The boy thought of it as well. He felt that while he was separate from them and discovered this at a very hard time to handle it, Clark still was connected to his friends and family.

"Even if I did come back, I don't know if they would accept me after leaving the way I did." Clark had lent into his choice, but he still needed to weigh his options. Conflicted of the consequences of his earlier actions. Running away, the dangers he faced in the place his family called home all their lives. Same as him.

"I haven't known the Kents well in the time I've been on Earth, but I do know that you were lucky to find yourself with those as compassionate as them. They will always welcome your return." J'onn encouraged Clark. While his answer came from a place of assumption, it wasn't entirely true that J'onn didn't know the Kents. Due to his strange abilities, J'onn had the ability to read the minds of others. Using this only when necessary such as when Clark ran away, and to deliver justice against Kenny Braverman.

"I'll think about it, J'onn, really. Though for now, let's at least get back to the barn. You'll be closer to your home and can get fixed up." Clark recommended. He returned to helping J'onn on their path back as J'onn requested his assistance. Though he thought about J'onn's words about his family as well.

"Sure thing." J'onn replied. Holding onto Clark as they continued back. Their temporarily conjoined path was an easier one to take when Clark was free to use more of his strength, then being free of witnesses to what he was capable of.

Nevertheless, the trip still continued. Clark saw familiar pathways on his way back with J'onn as Victoria Klingman. As the bones knitted into Victoria's smaller form internally rather than the malleable body of a martian, J'onn realized that the internal injuries suffered from Brainiac still remained. Constantly shifting in their place, but unhealed. This persisted and solidified as J'onn got closer and closer to the Kents and their residence with Clark's assistance. The result made him wonder what this meant in regards to the mystery of what shackled his powers ever since his time in Smallville.

The Kent farm was now visible to the two of them. Then being within line of sight as they got closer to their destination. The sturdy, but rustic fences reminded Clark of all the work he and his family put into it all. This final stretch allowed Clark and J'onn to slow down. J'onn got the feeling that the boy was safe enough now to begin parting ways. The familiar surroundings for Clark were almost a place of great pain for J'onn, but he didn't know why. Though this was the inevitable point where he could go no further. Both from him being unable to move forward and because this wasn't his path.

Clark saw that J'onn did not follow as he passed the gate. Looking back to the alien to see why. "Are you heading home now?" Clark wondered.

"This isn't where I can follow even if I wasn't returning to town. Rest easy, Clark Kent. Your bridges can be mended now. Just believe they can be." J'onn answered sternly, but with encouragement. This blockage of his very power throughout his veins would need to be investigated another day. J'onn sent Clark off to his family. All while he moved the opposite way. J'onn restored himself as Victoria Klingman the further he went.

J'onn looked back at the Kent home one last time on his path back to Victoria Klingman's home. What she saw was Clark at the door, anticipating his family's arrival. The martian smiled in admiration. The little moments in between the alien stranger's grief were always the most treasured.

Once a great enough distance was reached, J'onn had the strength to lift their form from the ground. Slowly, a red aura melded with Klingman's form. Causing it to vanish into the open air. The only indicator of J'onn's existence on Earth was a pushed outline of a figure among the clouds overhead.

The final stretch to the Kent home was a long one. The town's insides were infected by a horrible monster underneath that was laid to waste. A good man that had been trying to expose the truth could finally be free from his cage. No matter how lost Clark was in both his own truths and the conflicts he faced, he knew then that he could face his family once more. He was closer and closer to the door. Clark knocked once he was facing the window. Seeing the dark and familiar rooms inside.

The lights lit up while he waited, but it wasn't long. His parents opened the door to see their son. Not the alien, but the boy they raised. As shock and tears filled their faces, Clark didn't have an opportunity to speak as his family embraced him. The hug lasted almost an eternity on their porch that day. As Clark leaned in between Jonathan and Martha, he felt joy of being where he belonged.

"I'm home." Clark said, grateful for his return to his family's side. His own face matched their own in their happiness of being reunited.

"You always will have a home here. No matter what." Jonathan declared. Standing together with Martha. Clark embraced his family once more, but as they felt the chill of the dark that evening, Jonathan, Martha, and Clark all went back inside the Kent home. Hoping to relax and rest after a long, stressful, and divided night. They entered the living room. With Clark resting his aching pains from the battle against Brainiac. All while his family mainly felt relief of their reunion. Turning on only a few lamps inside, everyone started exchanging their divided stories.

While the family was reunited and Jonathan connected with Clark after his experience of self discovery, Martha closed the blinds to the windows in the living room. Though from the view outside before the blinds were closed, a strange sight of a faint red glow was curious to Martha Kent. Despite the caution from it, she proceeded to move the blinds down. Closing in the warm light from inside their home. As faint as it was at this late hour. She came back to the kitchen where Jonathan and Clark waited, still sitting by a warm light in the small welcoming space they held themselves in. Overhearing the adventures to discuss on another day. Though one thing was still left unknown to the two farmers from what Clark did tell them.

Who is Victoria Klingman?

Rain started pouring into the cracks of the quakes developed under the road. The mud splashed outwards the instant a heavy mass roughly passed the cracked road. This downfall of rain was splashing over a bulletproof windshield. All the while, the entire line of trucks had a rough drive down this narrow road. They were the only ones risking this move. As any farmers, travelers, tourists, and workers were doing very little, but recovering whatever was outside on their respective fields. Though that was nowhere near where these trucks were headed.

Inside the leading vehicle, Hank Henshaw drove as determined as ever. He was the only one that was prepared for what would be at their destination however. The other drivers were called in with a fully filled up convoy with minimal info given to them all. They had what they needed however. A simple extraction without any action that was too public. Their convoy was silent aside from the bumps in the road, but it didn't alert any attention thus far.

Hank started alerting the rest of the passengers behind him to be ready as he witnessed a bright yellow light flashing the same color he saw earlier. Even though the windshield was being poured on by the rain, this was shone as clear as day.

Machines were being unloaded into the hands of the other passengers. All being used for the purposes of making sure whoever was at their destination would be brought back to base. What made Hank uneasy was that an automatic weapon was one of them. He still led the convoy down to the highway. Encircling the crack below the ground. Each truck stopped in place, and half were on uneven ground by the time they did.

Hank cut the engines to signal everyone else to do the same. Their amateur barricades were set as soldiers moved in while unpacking their gear across the rocky ground. Everyone held the best positions they could to place down given the circumstances. Hank observed their progress of going closer to the epicenter of the quake. All while he left his own vehicle.

"Remember, this is still the source of the quake. Whatever happens here, we need to leave quickly in case of any fluctuations." Henshaw announced to the group. They all affirmed as their pulley systems were tied down. Poles had been strapped together with an elaborate harness by the soldiers. They lowered it down into the caves where Lana rested in mid-air.

It was easy to hook up the harness as they drew her back up. Those back at the trucks unloaded a gurney for use from one of the empty vehicles. Henshaw watched them as they tied Lana down. Moving one of the men away as he followed the gurney being dragged back. He trusted the soldiers with many missions, but not with this. His charge who he sought to protect like his own daughter. That was what was at stake. He closed the doors as the soldiers beside him finally got her in the truck. Though as everyone was almost out, one of the engineers was out with a tablet in hand. Seeming to be taking notes.

"Did you find anything with your team? Any readings beyond the obvious?" Hank asked. He was tired of the usual heads or tails. Something concrete was needed to know that he could help her out.

The engineer was young. Almost as tall as Henshaw, but hid his size with a raincoat that clinged to his build. His hair was shaved in a buzz cut similar to most of the soldiers. While he was soaked, this seemed to not cause any lack of comfort for him compared to the others. He was glad to be out compared to them. The pursuit of something new from this potential tragedy was something that could only lift this engineer's spirits compared to the disgruntled and tired soldiers. Which is why when he uncovered new results, he was excited compared to his boss, who was stern in contrast.

"It isn't a coma, Commander Henshaw. It's a state of homeostasis. Brought along by a kind of merge with some unknown element down there." The engineer explained. Henshaw wondered what this meant about Lana's survival overall however. Not the science itself.

"Is she alive? What is she going through right now? That's what I want to know, Irons." Hank asked slowly, but impatiently. This was a tiring search to get together and making sure it wasn't all for nothing was the real priority. Even if his employers would pay no mind in studying the corpse remaining in her stead.

"Yes. She's both alive and awake. The element found within her is acting like a superorganism. Building off of her. Even without solid form. It doesn't feed itself like a parasite, but instead provides as if coded into her cells." Irons answered. Still fascinated by what he was getting. He didn't wish to bore Hank with everything else such as the solar absorption readings, but it still was incredibly interesting all things considered.

Hank sighed in relief. Now being at least ready to look at himself again if he got back to base. Though things adjusted on the plan going forward as he thought of where this would take them.

"New plan. You are taking my spot on the element's transport vehicle. I'll speak with your team on arranging Lana to get proper treatment. Meet back at base afterwards." Hank ordered Irons. Responding to the commands, Irons got inside the passenger seat at the front of the vehicle. Watching Lana behind him when he got in.

Hank did the same for the truck behind. He slammed the door that had an insignia of a double helix coupled with an eye emblazoned on the front. When he entered the vehicle and buckled in, the driver was confused. She expected a different companion. Hank continued on as if this was always the mission's order of events.

"To Cadmus." Hank commanded into his comms. He leaned forward into his seat. Watching Lana ahead in the darkened mirrors as the vehicles started on their journey. The girl in suspended animation had no feeling of the rocky journey. Even once it left the borders of Smallville and continued past. The streetlights shorted out as the convoy finally made it past the small town Lana called home.